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DEL.ICIO.USSensible approach to meeting needs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
There are a couple of glaring things you see when analyzing the Falcons’ portion of the NFL draft, and one of those things actually is good.
Consider this: If potential matches reality, the Falcons just got four starters for the upcoming season.
That’s the good.
That’s also the bad.
Four rookies projected as starters by the end of training camp? The word “desperate” comes to mind. Even so, we’ll start with the good. Except for a tailback twice the size of Warrick Dunn, the Falcons got everything they needed in the draft. They also got quality along with quantity.
They got the definitive No. 1 pick for them in Jamaal Anderson, the quick and big defensive end from Arkansas to replace Patrick Kerney. They got Justin “Big Bank” Blalock from Texas to help end their silly tribute to the Smurfs along the offensive line. They got Anderson’s old Arkansas teammate, Chris Houston, to use his considerable speed and noted cover skills at right cornerback. They also got South Florida’s Stephen Nicholas, rated among the top eight outside linebackers by NFLDraftScout.com. He is slated to replace Demorrio Williams, out for six months after a weightlifting injury.
In other words, the Falcons got top picks in the draft that made sense for the first time since 2001. Michael Vick (you know, before he lost his mind off the field). Alge Crumpler. Roberto Garza. Matt Stewart. Kynan Forney.
“What we do in the draft has to be logical, but it could be illogical, and then you would have people saying, ‘OK. Then why did they do that?’ ” said Falcons owner Arthur Blank on Sunday, who doesn’t need to worry about such questions for the first time in his five years with the franchise. That’s because Rich McKay got it mostly right after spending his third consecutive draft without noted personnel guru Tim Ruskell, who took the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl after leaving Atlanta.
Prior to the Falcons, McKay was in Tampa with Ruskell and Jerry Angelo, the builder of the Chicago Bears team that just went to the Super Bowl. All Blank knows is that McKay needed to produce now, and McKay did so with 11 solid picks. “The fact that students of the game can understand why we made certain picks is not unimportant,” Blank said. “You want people to say, ‘That makes sense. Well, that also makes sense.’ “
This time, for one of the few times in the Falcons’ 41-year history, it all made sense with their drafting. Which brings us to the bad. We discovered through the lofty expectations of Falcons officials regarding their picks what we already knew: The Falcons had a mighty talent deficit over the past two seasons, and their record of 15-17 during that stretch wasn’t a fluke. In fact, since they reached the NFC championship game after the 2004 season, they’ve ranked among the most heavily flawed yet overly hyped teams in the league.
No wonder the Falcons’ new coaching regime needed less than five months to determine that many of the players it inherited had to go.
So, just like that, along with those four draftees projected as starters, you had other additions for the Falcons. There was free agent Ovie Mughelli, signed to a contract worth more than any ever given to a fullback. Veteran Joe Horn was acquired to improve a ghastly group of wide receivers and a leadership void in the locker room on the other side of Lawyer Milloy. Elsewhere, cornerback holdover Jimmy Williams is projected as the new free safety. Plus, with Grady Jackson suing the franchise for defamation of character or something, you can expect the Falcons to have a new nose tackle sooner than later.
They already have a new coach in the meticulous Bobby Petrino, and he was heavily involved in helping the Falcons move from their previous mess of a roster to something better.
How much better? Said Anderson, sounding like this group really does understand the deal, “We’re here to win, and we’re ready to win the Super Bowl.”
Permalink | Comments (8) | Categories: Falcons / NFL, Terence Moore
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By RA
April 29, 2007 10:03 PM | Link to this
This is Terrance Moore right? Falcon/Hawk/Atlanta hater extraordinare? I’m just asking because over the last month or so you’ve been sounding a lot more like an objective journalist. So, I’m forced to assume that the real Terrance Moore has been abducted and is currently being probed by aliens bent on world domination. Well, as far as I’m concerned they can keep him. I like this one better.
By Matthew At The SLC
April 29, 2007 10:28 PM | Link to this
Terence, I really, really don’t like you. I have my reasons, all of which you’ve supplied, and they have nothing to do with your skin pigmentation. I just think you’re a reprehensable person. So this is going to be personally hard for me.
I agree with everything you said. Accept for one thing. The Falcons actually got FIVE starters out of the draft, because while 4 guys will most likely start right away (3 if D. Williams can get healthy), we also got our safety in the draft by drafting the most physical corner in the draft. Because that corner will step in and start right away, it moves Williams to safety where he can use his decent coverage skills (awesome for a safety, not so much for a corner) combined with his willingness to level every reciever that comes his way to fill a void at that position. So we have 5 starters. And one more thing… our special teams was a complete disaster last year. We couldn’t get down the field and cover and kicks or punts. Now we have some head hunters with a nose for the ball (like Milner who when he played special teams, played well). The only pick I don’t like is Robinson. We could have had Bush, but I guess Robinson fits Petrino’s system and has good hands, which is something this team needs.
So yeah, this draft gets an “A” from me, and I’m guessing from the national coverage, that the team will get an “A” from ESPN, SI.com, and many other outlets.
By Jamaaliver
April 29, 2007 10:39 PM | Link to this
So, is it just me, or was there absolutely no advantage in moving up from #10 to #8 in the first round? Apparently we still would’ve had ur pick between Amobe Okoye and Jamaal Anderson. Essentially, Anderson just got a pay bump as the #8 pick instead of the #10!!!!!!
By Matthew At The SLC
April 29, 2007 10:40 PM | Link to this
Why does the AJC continue to let racists post on these blogs?
WHO THE HELL IS MONITORING THESE BLOGS!!! You cannot allow hate speech such as that. I’m sick of every blog about the Falcons being taken over by the Idiot Racist Redneck Faction.
FIX THIS PROBLEM NOW, AJC!!!
By dirtybird7
April 29, 2007 10:50 PM | Link to this
I think its a great draft add size depth and speed remeber we not only moved up to 8th we got a 2nd round pick also and that turns out to be a big body and a good good one for the oline
By Not so fast
April 29, 2007 10:50 PM | Link to this
To Jamaaliver,
You need to look at the overall big picture. Remember that in the Schaub deal, not only did the Falcons move up to #8, but they also got an extra second round pick which turned out to be Justin Blalock. And they get Houston’s #2 next year. They could not have traded down because there were no takers for that spot. All the teams that wanted Quinn knew he’d fall.
By Hey is that Cafaro?
April 29, 2007 10:51 PM | Link to this
Matthew at the SLC, are you Cafaro?
By foxy brown
April 29, 2007 11:07 PM | Link to this
mr.moore,were and the ajc aware of mike vick’s [ALLEDGED CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES?} DOGFIGHTING,DRUGS? is this why you werw so critical of him? be honest!!!! he stated that “he is hurting ,sad,and embarrased” about his situation. well we the fans will be watching!!! he knows that any more DRAMA and he will be terminated. so, LETS KEEP IT REAL!!! WIN THE SUPERBOWL 2007————-.